Bongat: Escobal may leave if he wants to

NAGA CITY—A
day after Mayor John Bongat declared that he was willing to endorse Philippine
National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge city director Filmore Escobal as full-fledged
city director to the PNP, the local chief executive said Escobal may leave if
he wants to.

The mayor
explained that the PNP is not the sole government agency that the LGU supports.
“We also extend assistance to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the
teachers, the different government offices,” he said. “Now if it happens that
the police spent too much money without our consent, that is not our fault.
They have their MOOE [Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses funds], we have
our own.”

“We have
limited resources in Naga,” Bongat stressed.

“If he [Escobal]
is used to having an adequate budget in Davao, he must understand that Naga is
a different case,” he added.

Meanwhile,
reports reaching BICOL STANDARD said that Escobal was also slighted when an employee
from the office of Mongoso allegedly wanted to have Escobal sign the
intelligence fund expenditures since January to September.

Escobal,
allegedly, repeatedly refused to sign the blank document, because he does not
understand what it was all about.

He also
promised that he would talk to Mayor Bongat to discuss the matter.

Bongat said
that during the time when said issue erupted, both he and the city director
were in Davao.

The mayor was waiting for Escobal to personally discuss with him
whatever gripes he may have, but they were never brought up, Bongat said.

Asked by
BICOL STANDARD on his comment on this recent development, Escobal said in a
text message that in November, he will have completed his six-month tour of
duty requirement as OIC city director.